82 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



the blood merely oozes from the wound, and even in cases where it 

 flows in a small stream, the forming of the clot arrests the hemorrhage 

 in a comparatively short time. 



Slight hemorrhages may be checked by the continuous application 

 to the wound of cold water, ice, or snow, as cold causes contraction of 

 the small vessels. The water may be thrown on a wound from a hose, 

 or dashed on it from the hand or a cup, or folds of cotton cloths may 

 be held on the wound and kept wet. Ice or snow may be held against 

 the wound, or they may be put in a bag and conveniently secured in 

 position. 



Hot water of an average temperature of 115° to 120° F. injected 

 into the vagina or womb is often efficient in arresting hemorrhages 

 from those organs. Tow, raw cotton, lint, or sponges may be forced 

 into a wound and held or bound there with bandages. This is an 

 excellent method for checking the flow of blood until the arrival of 

 an expert. If the flow persists, these articles may be saturated with 

 tincture of iron, but it is not advisable to use the tincture of iron if it 

 can be avoided, as it is a caustic, and retards healing by causing a 

 slough. The articles may be saturated with vinegar in cases of neces- 

 sity, or tannic acid or alum dissolved in water may be used instead. 

 The article (whichever is used) should be. left in the wound suffi- 

 ciently long to make sure that its removal will not be followed by a 

 renewal of the hemorrhage. It must remain there one or two days 

 in some instances. 



An iron heated until it is white and then pressed on the bleeding 

 vessel for three or four seconds is occasionally used. It should be at 

 white heat and applied for a moment only, or else the charred tissue 

 will come away with the iron and thus defeat the purpose of its 

 application. 



Compression may be applied in different ways, but only the most 

 convenient will be mentioned. To many wounds bandages may easily 

 be applied. The bandages may be made of linen, muslin, etc., suffi- 

 cently wide and long, according to the nature of the wound and the 

 region to be bandaged. Bed sheets torn in strips the full length make 

 excellent bandages for this purpose. Cotton batting, tow, or a piece 

 of sponge may be placed on the wound and firmly bound there with 

 the bandages. 



In many instances ligating the vessel is necessary. A ligature is a 

 piece of thread or string tied around the vessel. Ligating is almost 

 entirely confined to arteries. Veins are not ligated unless very large 

 (and even then only when other means are not available) on account 

 of the danger of phlebitis, or inflammation of a vein. The ligature is 

 tied around the end of the artery, but in some instances this is difficult, 

 and it is necessary to include some of the adjacent tissue, although 

 care should be taken that a nerve is not included. To apply a liga- 



